Green calls for impeachment on floor of Congress

HOUSTON -- Houston Congressman Al Green called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump on the floor of Congress Wednesday morning.

"President Trump is not above the law," Green stated in a press release on his website. "He has committed an impeachable act and must be charged. To do otherwise would cause some Americans to lose respect for, and obedience to, our societal norms."

The congressman held a press conference earlier in the week saying he believes there were three acts committed by the president that merit impeachment.

The includes the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, who was overseeing a lawful investigation into possible campaign ties to Russian influence.

Trump acknowledging that he considered the investigation when he fired Comey.

Making Comey the subject of what Green calls a "threatening" tweet. It read, "James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press.”

Green says these acts combined add up to intimidation and obstruction.

Republicans are calling it political grandstanding, however.

Full statement published by Green:

A bedrock premise upon which respect for, and obedience to, our societal norms is “No one is above the law.”

President Trump is not above the law. He has committed an impeachable act and must be charged. To do otherwise would cause some Americans to lose respect for, and obedience to, our societal norms.

President Trump has committed an act for which he should be charged by the U.S. House of Representatives. The act is the obstruction of a lawful investigation of the President’s campaign ties to Russian influence in his 2016 Presidential Election.

This charging, of the President, is known constitutionally as impeachment.

Impeachment, of the President, by the House of Representatives is not a finding of guilt. The House of Representatives cannot find the President guilty of anything. Only the U.S. Senate can do this after a trial.

Here are the acts committed by the President that, when combined, merit his being charged (impeached) for obstructing a lawful investigation:

· The President fired the F.B.I. Director overseeing a lawful investigation of the President’s campaign ties to Russian influence in the President’s 2016 Election.

· The President acknowledged he considered the investigation when he fired the F.B.I. Director.

· The President made the F.B.I. Director the subject of a threatening tweet – “James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press.”

These acts, when combined, amount to intimidation and obstruction.

If the President is not above the law, he should be charged, by way of impeachment, by the U.S. House of Representatives. Whether he is guilty is a separate action for the U.S. Senate to decide. I have said on previous occasions, and do now say again, the President should be impeached. I also say that this can happen with a Republican-controlled House and Senate if the public weighs in by demanding that the Republican President be charged by way of impeachment.